The Hidden World of Bears: Photography by Lynn Rogers

Grizzly Adams has nothing on biologist Lynn Rogers. Rogers has been studying bears for 40 years, getting close to them, and apparently earning the animals' trust. At the Wildlife Research Center in Ely, Rogers has tracked more than 100 bears with radio collars, some for longer than 20 years. He is so devoted to his work that he roams the woods for 24 hours (without food, because it would distract the bears from their eating routine) with groups of bears to monitor their movement, diet, and habits. During his time as a world-renowned bear expert, Rogers has had plenty of time to photograph the animals he lives with. "The Hidden World of Bears" is a compilation of photos he's taken over more than 20 years of studying bears. He's photographed grizzlies in Alaska, polar bears in northern Canada, and the black bears he spends his life with in Ely. As with most pictures of furry animals, Rogers's pictures are often adorable (especially the images of wide-eyed cubs), but they also show how smart and calm bears can be. Rogers, 69, has spent his life protecting bears, and the photos of him touching the bears and essentially living with them are a fitting tribute to his career and a fresh look at animals that many people fear.
Aug. 27-Jan. 4, 2008